It's’ not just your imagination – young people really are getting ruder.

Today’s 18 to 34-year-olds are less likely to say hello to neighbours or open the door for the elderly than those aged over 55.

They are also more reluctant to give a cup of tea to builders or tip the postman at Christmas.

Proof: A study has shown that younger people are ruder, with those aged 18-34 less likely to open the door for the elderly or tip the postman at Christmas than those aged over 55

Research showed the age group were 23 per cent less likely, on average, to carry out common courtesies than over-55s.

Neighbours were ignored by nearly 35 per cent of the group compared with only 15 per cent of over-55s.

Youngsters were also 18 per cent less likely to open a door for a woman or an elderly person, 17 per cent less willing to give up their seat on public transport for a pregnant woman and 12 per cent less likely to offer it to an elderly passenger.

Selfish: Psychiatrist Dr Clive Sherlock said the changes in behaviour were evidence of society becoming more selfish and a 'lack of respect' and that technology was encouraging people to be more 'involved in themselves' (stock image)

While 83 per cent of the over-55s surveyed said they would always give builders working in their homes a cup of tea, only half of the younger generation would do the same, according to the Toluna survey of 1,000 adults for RatedPeople.com.

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Tipping is another courtesy that seems to have been lost between generations, with the younger group 41 per cent less likely to tip the milkman – if they have one – at Christmas and 36 per cent less likely to give a festive tip to the postman.

While nearly half of over-55s would always tip a hairdresser, less than 30 per cent of 18 to 34-year-olds would.

Psychiatrist Dr Clive Sherlock said the changes in behaviour were evidence of society becoming more selfish and a ‘lack of respect’.

He said: ‘People now are more concerned for themselves and less concerned for other people.

‘Communities are now much more about material gain and looking after your peer group, rather than bothering with the people who live next door or you meet on the street.

‘People’s respect for themselves has gone down and with that goes down respect for other people. There is a decline in respect for other people’s feelings. That is a major change.’

Dr Sherlock said it was likely technology was encouraging people to be ‘more involved in themselves’.

‘One thing that probably enforces this to some extent is the way in which people are plugged in to iPods and their mobile phones,’ he added.

A separate YouGov study for RatedPeople.com also found the younger generation was less likely to let builders use their toilet or tell them to help themselves to a cup of tea.

THE DEATH OF MANNERS: TOP COURTESIES IN DECLINE

%age difference between over-55s and 18 to 34-year-olds carrying out courtesies

1. Tipping the milkman at Christmas – 42 per cent

2. Tipping the hairdresser – 37 per cent

3. Tipping the postman at Christmas – 36 per cent

4. Making a tradesman a cup of a tea – 34 per cent

5. Saying hello to the neighbours – 21 per cent

6. Offering visitors to your home a cup of tea and a biscuit – 20 per cent

7. Opening the door for a woman or the elderly – 18 per cent

8. Giving up a seat for a pregnant woman on public transport – 17 per cent

More than six in ten of 1,000 tradesmen surveyed said homeowners had become ‘more demanding’ in the past ten years. Fewer than a quarter said they were always offered a cup of tea on a job.

Liam Hamblin, of Scadbury Building Services, said: ‘As a self-employed builder I often don’t find time to stop for breakfast or lunch, tea is what gets me through the day.

‘I don’t expect homeowners to give me access to tea making or toilet facilities but, during the winter months especially, those small things mean a lot.

‘When you’ve next got a builder in I urge you to make them a “cuppa”, it’s a British tradition that’s always appreciated.’